Cerasoli: Don't underestimate the value of city take-home cars

As New Orleans' Inspector General Robert Cerasoli continues his uphill battle to establish a full staff, NOLA.com readers have been voicing their opinions about his decision to investigate the city's vehicle and gas allowance for many employees.

Cerasoli has long said he'd look into the standard procedure. He first found out about the cars when he signed on as inspector general - a couple of employees asked him if he would be taking a city car and gas, to which Cerasoli refused.

But his comments on the city cars investigation to the media at a June 24 press conference with the Ethics Review has many online readers giving their two cents on whether that should be a priority. Some people suggested he should instead focus on sexier issues like Mayor C. Ray Nagin's and his administration's use of city credit cards.

Despite the questions, Cerasoli told NOLA.com that he is quite confident in what he's working on.

"The amount of money in those automobiles transcends the [amount on the] credit cards so much that it's incomprehensible," he said. "It's millions of dollars rather than thousands."

Aside from the city's use of cars, the inspector general's office also is working on several other investigations that Cerasoli could not discuss. A major factor in churning out results, however, is how quickly he can add people to his staff.

By July 10, he will have nine employees. He has a tenth potential employee going through the final phases of the interview process.

Cerasoli also is working to hire several certified public accountants and certified internal auditors, he said. His office had at least four CPAs lined up, but the candidates used the job offers to angle for larger salaries at their current jobs, he said.

His latest tactic is speaking at Louisiana Society of Certified Public Accountants meetings around the metro area. So far, he's had some interest, Cerasoli said, but he has yet to see a flood of applicants for those positions.

"I have a sense that a lot of people aren't sure that the [inspector general's] office is going to be around for a while, so they're nervous," he said.